Taximeter.



G. MASGART.

TAXIMETER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.21, 1913.

Patented June 16,, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses.

: 1%vantor.

Mm x $4,114,111.

COLUMBIA PUNDGRAPH Cm. WASHINGTON, D. c.

G. MASGART. T AXIMBTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1913. I I 1,100,138. Patented June 16,1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Eyi.

Witnesses.

Inventor.

COLUMBIA PLANOOIAFH ITO-,IIAJHINGTON, D. c.

' ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES MASCART, or PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOB- TO socrn'rn GENERALE DES COMPTEURS DE voITUnEs (TAXIMETRES), or PAR-IS, FRANCE, A CORPORATION or FRANCE.

TAXIMETER.

Application filed February 21, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES Masonu'r, citizen of the French Republic, residing at Paris, Department of the Seine, in France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Taximeters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Certain drivers of vehicles act with fraudulent intent upon the flag of the meter in such a manner as to increase the sum indicated.

WVhen the flag occupies a position intermediate the For hire position and the first position, it is possible to impart reciprocating movements to it which act upon the lever actuating the indicating drums in such a manner as to increase the sums indicated by the meter.

Another form of fraud is also possible with apparatus as hitherto constructed. If the flag be raised from one of its positions as far as the For hire position, and then very suddenly returned to its initial position, time is not allowed for the drums to return to zero and they indicate a sum which may be to the advantage of a fraudulent driver.

The invention has for its object a locking device for the flag which prevents these frauds completely.

In accordance with the invention, the shaft of the flag carries a toothed sector with which two oppositely directed spring pawls are adapted to engage, one or other of these pawls being separated from the sector by means of a control knob. In this manner any reciprocating movement of the flag is prevented. It is also impossible to depress the fiag immediately after having raised it, because it is first of all necessary to operate the milled knob.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 shows a device embodying the invention, the flag occupying the For hire position and being locked by one of the pawls. Fig. 2 shows an apparatus in accordance with the invention with the flag occupying the Cash position. Fig. 3 shows the mechanism in running position. Fig. t is a sect-ion on the line AB, showing the control of the pawls.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Serial No. 749,882.

The shaft 1, which carries the flag 11 and which by the intermediary of a sleeve 2, controls the declutching shaft for the control members of the meter, is rigidly connected with a toothed sector 3 with which two pawls 5 and 9 engage. These two oppositely directed pawls are loosely mounted upon a shaft 12 and are acted upon respectively by counter springs 6 and 10 which tend to bring them against the toothed sector.

A shaft 7, rigid with the milled knob 11 which is arranged externally, enables one or other of these pawls to be disengaged, in such a manner as to permit of the rotation of the sector 3 in one direction or the other. Vith this object, the shaft 7 carries a tenon 8 adapted to engage in notches 15 and 16 respectively formed in the two pawls5 and 9.

The movement of the flag 11 is limited by stops 4 and 13 against which the sector 3 bears in its extreme positions.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The flag occupying For hire position represented in Fig. 1, the sector 3 is applied against the stop 1. If the finger 8 occupies the position represented in Fig. 1, the pawl 5 is in mesh with the teeth and prevents any movement of the flag in the direction indicated by the arrow. If the driver desires to bring the flag into the running position, it is necessary to rotate the knob 141- in such a manner as to lift the pawl 5. The pawl 9 being thus released, assumes its operative position under the influence of the spring 10.

When the apparatus occupies the Cash position, the members are located as indicated in Fig. 2, the pawl 5 being lifted and the pawl 9 in mesh with the teeth, whereby it is rendered impossible to return the flag to the For hire position. At this moment, it is not possible to release the pawl 9 in turning the knob 1 1 because the finger 8 would be stopped by the toothed sector and could not lift the pawl 9. It is therefore not possible to raise the flag until it has been brought into its running position indicated in Fig. 3. In this position the pawl 9 is in mesh with the teeth 3, the re tractive movement of which it prevents.

In order to return the flag to the For hire position, it is necessary to turn the milled knob 14 in such a manner as to lift the pawl 9, thereby releasing the pawl 5. The flag being raised into the position shown in Fig. 1, it is obvious it cannot be returned to one of its two running positions until the milled knob l-fl has been acted upon in such a manner as to release the pawl from the sector 3. The time occupied in this operation, is greater than that occupied by the indicating drums in returning to zero. Any fraud is thus rendered impossible.

The device which forms the object of the present invention presents the advantage of affording absolute security while at the same time being easy to construct. Further more it is applicable to the various mechanisms at present in use.

I claim:

1. The combination with a taximeter incheating device and the shaft about whose axis it swings, of a pawl retained member carried by said shaft, oppositely directed spring-pressed pawls adapted to engage with said member, and means operable from a point outside of the taximeter to shift one of said pawls into inoperative position with respect to said member and permit the other to move to operative position with respect thereto, said means being operable only in the extreme positions of said pawl retained member.

2. The combination wit-h a taximeter indicating device and the shaft about whose axis it swings, of a )awl retained member carried by said shatt, oppositely directed spring-pressed pawls adapted to engage with said member, and a pawl releasing shaft adapted to be actuated from a point outside of the taXimeter and provided with a pro ection to shift one of said paWls into inoperative position with respect to said member and permit the other to move to operative position with respect thereto, said means being operable only in the extreme positions of said pawl retained member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES MASCART.

Vitnesses:

Hanson C. Coxn, EMILE KLo'rz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

